Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) NICE, (2) NHS England, and (3) Biogen, on a Managed Access Agreement for Spinal Muscular Atrophy treatment, Spinraza.

Departmental officials are in regular contact with colleagues in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and NHS England about a range of issues, including progress in discussions about a potential managed access agreement for Spinraza (nusinersen). Ministers have also held meetings with Biogen, NICE and NHS England on a number of occasions, at which the availability of Spinraza was discussed.

NHS England and NICE have made stakeholders and the public aware of the outcome of its appraisal committee meeting and NICE is now able to recommend the use of Spinraza for National Health Service patients in England, subject to a managed access agreement agreed between NHS England and Biogen. The final appraisal document will be published in due course.